When hunting with a bow, it is desirable to pull the bow's string back before a hunted animal comes close enough to detect the hunters action. Holding a drawn bowstring is a challenge for many hunters as it requires considerable strength and endurance. Compound bows currently on the market can reduce the effort required to hold back a drawn bowstring by approximately 65% of the effort required to attain the drawn position.
When the string of a compound bow is drawn back the limbs of the bow move from a relaxed position to a flexed or compressed position. As this is occuring, the wheels and cables of the bow are moving and gaining a mechanical advantage over the limbs of the bow.
The present invention applies friction to the cable wheels of the bow and makes holding a drawn bow string considerably easier. The embodiment shown presently adapts a disk surface, much like the surface of a automobile disk brake, to move concurrently or as a part of a wheel of the bow.
Pressure is applied to the disk using a lever, cable, and caliper brake system like the brake system used to squeeze the rim of a bicycle wheel. The brake lever or trigger is positioned near the bows handle so that it can be conveniently activated by the hunters finger once the bow string is drawn. Releasing the lever allows tension from holding a conventional compound bow to return to the arms of the archer. By applying stopping power to the bows cables or wheels (pulley system), the bow can be held back with minimal fatigue and allow archers whose strength isn't fully developed or adequate a better chance in hunting larger game.
The procedure to fire the present invention is:
1) Pull back or draw the bow string and arrow. PA0 2) Press the brake activation lever on the bow handle to reduce required effort to hold the string back. PA0 3) Release the activation lever to allow the bow wheels to turn and to receive an increase in tension on the bow string just before firing. PA0 4) Fire the arrow by releasing the bow string from the fingers or from a mechanical release.
The present invention requires the shooting technique used to fire a conventional compound bow with the same initial force to draw the bow string. Pressure must be maintained on the brake lever to keep the brake activated and to keep pressure reduced on the archer's arms. The art of hunting is maintained with the present invention since it will not cock like a crossbow or other modified bow which can maintain a drawn bow string without attention from the archer.